English

Noun

A laboratory (informally, lab) is a facility that
provides controlled conditions in which scientificresearch, experiments, and measurement may be
performed. The title of laboratory is also used for certain other
facilities where the processes or equipment used are similar to
those in scientific laboratories. These notably include:

Characteristics of scientific laboratories

Labs used for scientific research take many forms
because of the differing requirements of specialists in the various
fields of science. A physics lab might contain a
particle
accelerator or vacuum
chamber, while a metallurgy lab could have
apparatus for casting or
refining metals or for
testing their strength.
A chemist or biologist might use a wet
laboratory, while a psychologist's or economist's lab might be a
room with one-way mirrors and hidden cameras in which to observe
behavior. In some laboratories, computers (sometimes supercomputers) are used
for either simulations
or the analysis of
data collected elsewhere.
Scientists in other fields will use still other types of
laboratories. Despite the great differences among laboratories,
some features are common. The use of workbenches or countertops at which the
scientist may choose to either sit or stand is a common way to
ensure comfortable working conditions for the researcher, who may
spend a large portion of his or her working day in the laboratory.
The provision of cabinets
for the storage of laboratory
equipment is quite common. It is traditional for a scientist to
record an experiment's progress in a laboratory
notebook, but modern labs almost always contain at least one
computer workstation for data collection and analysis.